


Endure and Persist

by amethyst-noir (Arbonne)



Series: Prompt Collection [103]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Bottom Stephen Strange, Cloak of Levitation (Marvel), Demonic Possession, First Kiss, First Time, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, IronStrange Bingo 2020, M/M, Scars, Tenderness, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Top Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:41:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25449280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arbonne/pseuds/amethyst-noir
Summary: Of course I'll let you live. Live with the knowledge that your hands killed the only man capable of saving this pathetic dimension of yours. Whom you also love. Death would be a mercy for you and while I am many things merciful is not one of them.(Tony gets possessed by something that wants to hurt and kill Stephen.)
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: Prompt Collection [103]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1126062
Comments: 18
Kudos: 134
Collections: Bad Things Happen Bingo, IronStrange Bingo 2020





	Endure and Persist

**Author's Note:**

> First of all? **Tags. They are here for a reason. Please read them.** Thank you. The prompts this is based on are in the end notes.
> 
> I have nothing to say for myself. The prompts are just a setup for angst, fluff, smut and an ending so happy and sappy that I'm almost embarrassed to put it up. Almost. Because those two deserve all the cliché happy ends in the universe and it was so much fun giving them one (once again).
> 
> The title is taken from VNV Nation's _A Million_ : _Hold on, hold on till dawn has come / Endure and persist / No mercy without._
> 
> All my thanks, love and undying gratitude go to @atpyical-snowman for test reading this story. 🤍
> 
> With this my @badthingshappenbingo card is officially done! Wow, that was a lot of bad things happening to them. I'm sure they are glad it's over now.
> 
> @badthingshappenbingo prompt: _I Have You Now, My Pretty_  
>  @ironstrangebingo prompt: _Angst_

Making Stephen blush was always the highlight of his day when he managed it. Tony laughed and gave into the temptation to brush a strand of wayward hair out of Stephen's face.

"See you tomorrow?" he asked hopefully, his touch lingering for a moment. He longed to lean forwards and press a kiss against Stephen's lips but they weren't quite there yet. Soon, but not today. Slow and gentle by his own request, and Stephen had nodded with obvious relief when Tony had finished stumbling over his words all those weeks ago.

"Tomorrow," Stephen confirmed with a smile and still slightly blushing. He reached up to touch Tony's fingers just as they left his face.

"Can't wait," Tony murmured as he watched him leave via portal. He waited until it had faded from existence before he put his attention towards the box that had been cleared by security and delivered just moments before Stephen's arrival to their semi-regular coffee date.

His mind was still busy imagining their first kiss and he was smiling like the lovesick idiot he was when his fingers brushed the dark, almost black wood of the weird box.

"What are you?" he asked absently, still thinking about how beautiful Stephen had looked in the late evening sun. In the next moment he was clutching his head and screaming in pain. Far away he could hear FRIDAY asking him what was going on but he was too busy trying to hold his exploding head together to respond.

_Mine now_ , a voice thundered inside his head as Tony could feel his mind crash and burn.

On the inside he screamed, on the outside his body just jerked for a moment before he stroked the box soothingly.

"I'm okay, FRI," he said. "I must have moved wrong and pulled something. Or maybe it's just separation anxiety."

"If you say so, boss," was the dubious answer but it was waved away with a careless gesture.

*

Using one of Earth's most powerful defenders against the soon-to-be Sorcerer Supreme was ambitious, but doable. Better to kill the budding threat before he came into the possession of his full powers and using Iron Man to do it?

Great idea, really, Tony was forced to concede from his position as a helpless guest inside his own body and mind.

_He's a rather pretty one, isn't he?_ the creep that had taken over everything but the smallest part of himself, hidden away in the very last corner of his mind, asked. _I can see why you want to bend him over and fuck him senseless._

Tony tried, he really did, but he'd never had the mental discipline to reign in his mouth, let alone his thoughts.

The image of Stephen, half-naked and in the middle of a work-out, flashed through his memory and the thing inside of him laughed at the clear feelings of longing and want that accompanied it. Of course he wanted to fuck Stephen - just like he wanted to kiss him senseless and caress that beautiful, strong body, to make Stephen forget all about the pain and the sorrow.

_Can't blame you for wanting him_ , it stated. _I can give you that_ , it promised and Tony shuddered at the threatening undertone. _I'll make you an offer you can't refuse: I'll fuck him in your body before I'll kill him, what do you think? Give him something to remember you by after I tossed his soul into eternal damnation and you'll have the memories of having him after I've left you._

_As if you're going to let me live after this_ , Tony gave back. As if he wanted to. He refused to dwell on the picture of Stephen's fate that was painted. Not on his watch. Stephen was precious and must be protected at all costs.

Genuine surprise was the response to that. _Of course I'll let you live. Live with the knowledge that your hands killed the only man capable of saving this pathetic dimension of yours. Whom you also love._ A chuckle that made what remained of Tony flinch. _Death would be a mercy for you and while I am many things merciful is not one of them._

_I don't even know who or what you are!_ Tony shouted back. _At least tell me your name!_

_Names have power, Iron Man. Just call me a waking nightmare, if you must. Now, where were we? Ah yes, seduce the sorcerer. Look at how pale and fragile he is. He'll bruise nicely, don't you think? I can't wait to hear and see him gasp for air with your hands wrapped around his neck. Maybe he'll beg? I hope he'll beg. Can't do much else with those fucked up hands of his, after all. He's not going to hurt **you** , of all people, so he's defenseless. It always makes their suffering sweeter when they die in tears and agony in the arms of the person they love. The pain of that betrayal never goes away. I promise to let go of you before he takes his last breath. You'll get a chance to say goodbye._

Tony's helpless shout of denial echoed across his mental landscape but there was no answer.

* * *

"Hey, Stranger," Tony purred and Stephen rolled his eyes before the inevitable smile broke through.

"Tony," he greeted. "What gives me the pleasure of your company so early?" He looked at his watch, broken but still working thanks to a subtle touch of magic. No, he hadn't lost track of time; their date was still hours away.

A shrug as Tony hid his hands behind his back and mustered Stephen from head to toe. "Can't a man visit his crush without a reason?"

The way he checked Stephen out was far more obvious as usual and seemed kind of _off_ somehow. Stephen couldn't really explain the feeling but something in the way Tony seemed to almost devour him with his eyes made him feel uncomfortable and he carefully backed a few steps away. The Cloak, sensitive to his mood as always, came over and wrapped him in a comforting hug.

"No need to hide," Tony commented flippantly. "I've already seen what you've got to offer after all and I'm ready to buy." He turned away and marched towards the kitchen, brushing Stephen on his way and squeezing his hip rather roughly. "I hope you have coffee!" he shouted and vanished.

Stephen frowned and clutched the Cloak until his fingers spasmed in a none too gentle warning. The Cloak flared up and he petted it to soothe it as well as himself. "I don't know what's going on with him," he murmured at the silent inquiry. "Maybe he's just gotten tired of how slow things have been going between us."

Something deep inside of him, the part that had felt almost violated at Tony's unusual rough touch, reared up and shouted its protest but Stephen ignored it with the ease of long practice.

Yes, that must be it. Tony had run out of patience with Stephen, despite all his gentle assurances that they had all the time in the world to get to know each other, that he, too, wanted a solid foundation of friendship before they explored the potential for a romantic relationship between them further.

He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, his whole body tensing as if preparing for a fight. It still felt too soon, despite everything, but he could do it, he knew. If Tony thought it was time…

_I can do this_ , the told himself as he turned to follow, still rubbing the spot where Tony had pinched him. _That's going to bruise_ , he realized with dread. He hadn't taken Tony for the type, really. Still didn't, if he was honest with himself.

He didn't protest when the Cloak wrapped itself even more tightly around him to act as an barrier between him and Tony. The look in Tony's eyes had scared both of them, it seemed.

"It's gonna be okay," Stephen whispered before putting on a smile. His heart raced in something akin to fear instead of joyful anticipation as he stepped into his own kitchen and his magic burned under his skin, ready to defend himself against the man he loved,.

_Stop it_ , he told himself. _It's just Tony and you're ridiculous._

*

About an hour later he wasn't so sure about that anymore. Of Tony being Tony. Neither was the Cloak, who hadn't left him out of its protective embrace for even a second.

Now the not-Tony was sitting across from Stephen, mustering him with a cold look and more disdain than Stephen had thought Tony's face capable of. It _hurt_ being looked at like that by someone - _something_ \- that looked like the man he loved. Hurt like hell. Just like his hip. The ache of the touch had settled in deep in his bones and by now every little movement hurt. No way in hell that had been natural.

"I could have made it easy on you," the _thing_ said, absently playing with the empty cup. "I'd have fucked you senseless and afterwards, while you're blissed out, I would have killed you relatively quick and painlessly. It would have hurt, yes, but not for too long. The sting of betrayal would have come later. Your soul will scream in agony for an eternity but now you will scream in life, too."

Finally. The mask had fallen. Stephen swallowed and carefully moved his clenched fingers to loosen them up, only barely suppressing a wince of pain. "I don't believe that," he said flatly.

"That I wouldn't have hurt you? Yeah, you're right. Still, would have been nice to hear you scream and beg for mercy. I still intend to have you, by the way. You're too pretty to pass up."

"Stop it." Stephen refused the urge to close his eyes. He could deal with pretty much everything but not if it was delivered in Tony's voice. "Don't…"

"Don't what? Use this," the thing gestured at Tony's body, "vessel? There is nobody else who could get close enough. It was hard enough to get to _him_. How long have you two been dancing around each other anyway? Weeks? Months? _Years_? You're like a pair of old-fashioned virgins - blushing the moment you look at each other, let alone let your hands brush. Two adult men who are afraid of taking what they both want. You're pathetic. What is it? Can't get it up anymore and afraid of telling him that? He'll fuck you anyway, I can assure you of that. Probably while angsting over it but he's been dying to get into your pants. For some reason he's hopelessly gone on you." There was naked hunger on Tony's face now and Stephen didn't even try to contain the shudder that took over his whole body.

"No," he said flatly. _Keep it together_ , he told himself. He closed his eyes for a moment and forced his aching fingers into the necessary gestures to ignite the spell he'd been building up in his mind while the thing had been monologuing and fantasizing of raping Stephen. _This is not Tony._ The Cloak lent what support it could give and wrapped his hands up the second it was done. Stephen opened his eyes and only barely held back a gasp of shock and horror when he saw the truth behind the illusion.

Instead of Tony there was a grotesque _form_ across the table, something so unbelievable that even Stephen's trained mind almost couldn't comprehend it. It wavered in and out of his perception but faintly, oh so very faintly, he could see what remained of Tony beneath the something possessing him. Stephen allowed himself to relax just the tiniest bit at that revelation. Tony was still there, it wasn't too late.

_Stephen!_

He could just about hear Tony's voice, full of despair and so very afraid.

_Run! Please get away from me!_

_Never._ Stephen vowed. This thing wouldn't get it's claws in him, wouldn't fuck and kill him, wouldn't hurt Tony any further. Stephen absolutely refused to have Tony taken from him. He _would_ feel Tony's hands on his body, they _would_ eventually get to sleeping with each other, and there was no way in any fucking _hell_ that some extradimensional threat with a creepy hard-on for Stephen would ruin what they had been so carefully building between them.

The thing reached out towards him. "You still have the chance of dying relatively easy, sorcerer. Submit to me, let me have some fun, and I promise I'll be gone just in time for you to die in his arms. We'll see each other on the other side and have more fun there. Or how about if you fuck him? It's not like he doesn't think about that as well. Basically, he wants you in any way he can get you but if you really can't get it up…"

The idea of dying in Tony's arms was a rather nice one, actually, and lightyears better than the hundreds and thousands of other deaths Stephen had tried over the years. Still, he refused to do that before they had the chance to actually _live_ with each other.

_No more dancing around_ , he decided. _After this we're talking the last step._ He refused to consider the alternative. _I've got you, Tony_ , he promised the shade of his soon-to-be-lover, looking beyond the monster to Tony's conscious trapped inside. _I'll save you and then I will be yours and you will be mine._

"Why are you so concerned about my sex drive?" he asked mildly. "It's not like you're going to get to enjoy it. Ever."

He stood up, the chair crashing to the floor behind him and the Cloak billowing up dramatically to give his arms free range of movement as he pushed the whole room into the mirror dimension and put up unbreakable barriers. Nothing could move in or out now, not without his explicit consent.

For a moment he was tempted to ask _why_ but that question had pretty much answered itself by now. That thing wanted Stephen dead and Tony suffering. The first one was excusable, the second one wasn't, and the demon - or whatever it really was; Stephen wasn't quite sure and didn't really care at the moment - had given up its right to exist the moment it had taken possession of Tony.

"Get out of him," Stephen ordered, arms still spread out wide, ready to unleash hell at the slightest provocation.

"Or what?" it taunted back. "You'll kill me? You'll kill him too, you know."

"Don't underestimate me."

"I'm beginning to think that I _over_ estimated you actually. Or do you really think this little mirror dimension of yours will hold me? Little parlor tricks might impress and terrify your almost lover but not me."

Stephen smiled and he could see Tony's shade look at him in fear. _Sorry, my love. I hoped you'd never had to see me like this._ Tony was still so scared of magic; scars, deep in his mind, that would never heal properly, and Stephen had always tried to keep him away from the darker aspects of his calling. Or the more powerful spells.

"Try to escape and see what happens," he offered, still smiling. "You've seen me through Tony's eyes but Tony barely knows anything about all of this." He only hoped that Tony would still be able to look at him, let alone touch him, after all of this was over.

His hip was still aching like hell and by now he was sure that some sort of dark magic was at work there. Not that there was any time to check and take care of it. Later. Saving Tony was the first priority, banishing the threat the second. Some tiny part of his subconsciousness recognized that he might have screwed up in the priority department but what was done was done.

Tony was the most important one here.

"You'll be mine!" the thing growled, unimaginative as those types of threats usually tended to be.

For a moment Stephen toyed with the idea of answering but in the end it didn't matter. It tried the age-old frontal assault and Stephen conjured a portal to the dark dimension to toss it through while simultaneously pulling the thing out of Tony's body. Dormammu might not deserve the entertainment but at least the demon would be out of the way and Stephen could be assured that it would never return.

He and Dormmamu had an _arrangement_ , after all. One that kept Stephen from killing and provided the Lord of the Dark Dimension with the occasional entertainment. In return, he left Earth - and the most annoying creature ever, according to him - alone.

Stephen took pride in the title.

"Begone," he muttered sarcastically as he put all of his strength into the spell to push the thing through the portal. It tried to reach for him but apart from a tendril that touched his face for a moment it couldn't get a grip. "Bye, see you never again," he added and closed the portal with a twirl that was pure showing off and nothing else. "Have fun and give my best regards to Dormammu."

He looked away from the now empty spot where the portal had been and towards where Tony was. Tony was _here_. Pale, shaking and choking, kneeling on the floor, and probably on his way into shock, but alive and here.

He tried to smile reassuringly but in that moment his hip reminded him that something was wrong with it, just as his face exploded with pain. This time he couldn't contain a gasp of pain.

"Stephen!"

He heard Tony's shout and saw him struggle onto his feet; but couldn't offer any help. He was already busy with collapsing to the ground despite the Cloak's best efforts to keep him upright, after all. His face and his hip were on fire and all the adrenaline that had been keeping him functioning was used up now.

He used the last of his fading strength to fold back the mirror dimension and bring them back home. Hopefully, Wong would soon be back to clear up the mess because he had a feeling he would be out of commission for a while.

"Stephen? Sweetheart? What happened? Are you okay?" Tony's voice, so much higher than usual, and a hesitant touch on the right, uninjured, side of his face was the last thing he remembered before he succumbed to the pain and the exhaustion.

* * *

"It's going to scar but you're still pretty."

It took all of his considerable willpower but Tony managed to shove all his stupid hang-ups aside. His hand was steady like Stephen's would never be again as he reached out and carefully but hesitantly put his hand against the uninjured side of Stephen's face.

The cut the damn thing had left was ugly and slow in healing - too much dark magic, as Wong had grimly diagnosed after his arrival in the Sanctum and him taking over Stephen's care so that Tony could indulge in his long-overdue panic attack.

_"I'm never going to leave him here alone again,"_ Wong had promised and Tony, still shaking and unable to comprehend anything, had just nodded. It had sounded like a good plan then and it was still a good one now, as far as Tony was concerned.

Stephen closed his eyes at the small gesture but Tony wasn't sure if it was in pleasure, wary acceptance, or shame.

"How's your hip?" he asked in a desperate attempt to keep the conversation going. "I saw you limping earlier."

Actually, it was painful to watch Stephen move around even three weeks after the thing had assaulted him. After _Tony_ \- or at least his body - had assaulted him.

Some sort of magical deep tissue damage in his hip - Tony would probably never really understand what exactly had happened but what he knew and remembered was enough to make him nauseous and keep him from sleeping ever again - and Stephen's gorgeous face would forever be marked now.

_Disfigured_ , Tony thought and swallowed against the urge to throw up. No. Stephen was still beautiful. His poor face would heal or Tony would find a way or Wong would… _Anything_ to keep Stephen from even more pain and unjustified shame than he already had.

There couldn't be constant reminder of how stupid and weak Tony had been. If Stephen hadn't clung to him in desperation while drifting in and out of consciousness he would have left the moment he'd given Stephen over into Wong's tender care.

But no - his safekeeping fell to Tony, by Wong's and Stephen's own decree. Damn, those two knew him and his weak spots far too well by now. Over the last few weeks, ever since the splitting headache, the nausea and the dizziness had passed, he'd spent most of his time refining SI's security protocols with Happy and FRIDAY. What little was left went to Stephen who somehow still seemed to want him around and showed no fear of him; much to Tony's constant surprise.

Tony could barely look at himself in the mirror lately but was determined to be there for Stephen. He had to concentrate on the man he loved in a desperate attempt to shove the memories way back down into the pit to the others. He could do it. He had to. For Stephen.

"Mending," was the short answer. Tony's hopes wanted to sink but the way Stephen's eyes closed and how he leaned into the tender touch kept them afloat.

"Sorry," Tony offered once again. He'd long since exhausted his extensive vocabulary and was down to the basics.

A quiet sigh. "Tony," Stephen's voice dropped into that deep register that used to turn Tony one like crazy. Even now some traitorous part of him reacted. Fuck. "Stop the self-flagellation. It wasn't your fault. Please, at least _try_ to believe it." Tony already knew that he would hate whatever came next. Stephen took a deep breath and slowly, carefully, wrapped his arms around Tony to keep him close. "If anyone's to blame here it's _me_. I'm the one who should have realized sooner what was going on and reacted quicker."

Tony closed his eyes as well and pressed his face into Stephen's shoulder in an attempt to stop the memories. "You did," he whispered. "You knew the moment I touched you that something was wrong. I could see it in your eyes." Stephen's hold around his waist tightened and Tony clung back, trying to take some of Stephen's weight to get the strain of his hip. "You played along because you were afraid for me." Not _of_ him. It had taken him a while but the difference had finally sunk in and now Tony clung to it like a lifeline.

Stephen had endured so much, just to save _him_. The display of unwavering devotion might have scared him if he wasn't already hopelessly in love with Stephen and Tony had vowed that the sacrifice would not be in vain. They would probably never know what exactly it had been and why exactly it had wanted to kill the most beautiful and love-worthy soul Tony had ever met. It didn't matter, Stephen had assured him. It was banished and could never get back he'd promised but refused to go into too much detail. Tony didn't dare to ask too many questions; not after that very impressive taste of Stephen's true powers. He was still trying to digest that, truly, and preferred to let the sleeping lions - or demons - rest for now.

"Never," Stephen promised and held on even tighter. "You'd never hurt me. I know that." _Not by choice_ , went unsaid but not unheard. Some shuffling around and then Stephen was pressing a kiss against his temple. "Now you have to learn to believe it yourself."

Tony raised his head and looked up and tried to blink the annoying tears away. "Stephen?" he asked hesitantly, not really believing that a fucked-up thing like a possession would be what finally pushed them over the edge. He'd expected more waiting now, the careful rebuilding of broken bridges and…

"Stop. You're thinking too much, my love. Just go with it."

He was still reeling from the casual pet name - something he'd never heard from Stephen before - when Stephen leaned in and kissed him.

It took him a moment but then he slowly started to reciprocate.

"Hmm, yes, like this," Stephen murmured and let himself be led towards the couch behind him for even more kissing.

* * *

Lying on his back with Tony looming over him should fill him with fear, considering everything that had happened. Instead, he felt safe like never before when Tony crouched over him, leaned down and kissed him gently. It was so easy to open his mouth and allow Tony full access, to surrender not only into the kiss but to Tony as a whole.

"You're beautiful," Tony whispered as he pressed kiss after kiss against Stephen's mouth, nose, cheeks and eyes, paying special attention to the fine line of scar tissue along his left cheek.

"And yours," Stephen gave back just as softly, the invitation clear. Apparently, love truly made blind but as long as it made Tony look at him like that it was okay. More than okay.

Tony brushed over his left temple and cheek in a way that was quickly becoming one of Stephen's favorite caresses. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly. "I'm totally okay with…"

Basically everything, Stephen knew. Tony, as he'd discovered over the last few weeks, was up for pretty much anything - be it in bed or other places. But now it was Stephen's turn, damn it, he'd been waiting long enough for this.

"Fuck me," he said, saying it as plainly as possible to get rid of any doubt that might linger. "Just don't strangle me afterwards and we're good." Maybe not the best approach and maybe he should work on his sweet-talking skills but whatever. He meant what he'd said and refused to take it back or sugarcoat it.

It took Tony a moment but when he got it there was the most horrified laughter Stephen had ever heard in his life. "Please don't," Tony begged, obviously caught between disgust and humor.

Stephen grinned at him. "Make tender love to me?" he suggested instead, moving his lower body upwards to remind Tony that there was a body part he'd neglected to pay attention to so far.

"I hate you," Tony spluttered in indignation but the horror had almost faded from his eyes. "For that alone I should get up and leave you empty and begging."

"But you won't." Stephen was sure of that. "You've wanted me for far too long to run away now." Nobody had ever looked at him the way Tony did.

"I'll want you for the rest of my life," Tony said, suddenly serious. His hand was back on Stephen's face, gently stroking the fading scar that ran from his temple to his jaw. "In every way."

Stephen leaned into the caress. "And I want you inside of me. Don't make me beg for it." He barely resisted the temptation to add a 'please' at the end but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be received very well.

"Never," Tony promised, once again looking uncomfortable. Fuck. "You'll never have to beg me for anything. Promise. Just tell me what you want and it's yours. _I'm_ yours."

Stephen closed his eyes and resisted the urge to sigh. Barely. "You," he said slowly and clearly. "Inside of me. The sooner the better."

Tony's right hand wandered downwards until it rested on his hip, right above the still slightly hurting spot. It took all of his willpower but Stephen managed not to flinch or tense up. The featherlight touch stayed, careful fingers exploring the area where the skin was still faintly discolored. The urge to sigh became a moan and he didn't bother to keep that in.

The kept his eyes closed, even when Tony leaned down to kiss him again. "Ready?" he asked afterwards.

A flippant answer was on the tip of his tongue but for once in his life he managed to keep the sarcasm in. "Yes," was the simple answer he eventually settled on. He made sure to relax fully, to wordlessly convey that he now was Tony's to do with as he wished. That he _trusted_ him completely with both his body and his soul.

A breathless moan was the only reaction he was capable of when Tony finally, and after way too much teasing, pushed in with one fingertip.

"Oh," was Tony's eloquent contribution as he carefully began to feel his way around. "Been a while?"

Ages and a couple of thousand deaths ago, actually. "Hm-hm," was his eventual answer. He'd always liked this part but seldom had a lover who indulged him that way. He had a feeling that with Tony it would be different. "More," he demanded anyway and got a laugh in return.

"Don't be greedy, baby, I'll get you there."

He wanted to protest but Tony, sneaky bastard that he was, managed to contort his body in a way that allowed him to keep his by now two fingers inside Stephen's body while leaning up to kiss his words away.

"Not gonna hurt you," he repeated softly. "And don't try to pretend that you don't enjoy this, your hips - fuck, your whole body - don't lie."

Stephen could feel himself blushing, in addition to having that damn song stuck in his head now. Fuck. He wanted to protest but yet more kissing kept him otherwise occupied and moaning. Tony had found the only way to shut him up for good and had no trouble using his newfound knowledge to his advantage. Double fuck. But at least Tony was a hundred percent with him now and not caught up in the horrors of the past. That was a win. He, alone, was enough to command Tony's full attention. That was something, wasn't it?

"Shh, don't. Stay with me. It's okay. I love how responsive you are. All mine to play with." Fuck, how the _hell_ did Tony know exactly which buttons to push? "I'm going to make you feel so good, sweetheart."

_You already are._ Better than he'd felt in a long, long time. He wanted to have a snarky response to that, he really did. "Promise?" came out instead and he groaned - half in embarrassment, half in pleasure because Tony chose exactly _this_ moment to put in a third finger.

"I'll engrave it into a diamond if you want."

_What the…?_

Oh, that sounded _good_ , actually. He forced himself to open his eyes and Tony grinned down at him. "You're not gonna be able to think when I'm finished with you but feel free to think about that until I've shut down your brain." Another, especially wicked and skilled twist of his fingers and he had Stephen moaning and weakly grabbing at the sheets again.

"Some… someone thinks highly of his skills here," he finally managed to get out amidst all the gasping and moaning he was busy doing.

Tony shut him up with a kiss once again. "Lots of practice," he whispered against Stephen's lips, "and now you get to enjoy the result. Ready?"

Playing around like this was nice but he wanted more.

"Yes," was his simple answer.

"Good. You're killing me here, Stephen. If I don't get my dick inside of you soon I'm going to explode. You should see yourself now, baby."

He was glad he couldn't. Sweaty, sticky, flushed mess that he was. His coordination was shot to hell because he barely managed to help Tony to spread his legs a little bit further and he barely managed to react when Tony tapped the back of his right hand.

"Ease up on the death-grip, sweetheart. I don't want you hurting afterwards."

Stephen was still trying to follow the gentle command and relax his fingers when Tony used his momentary distraction to push in with one long, steady thrust.

"Got you," he laughed over Stephen's surprised gasp, followed by yet more moaning, and put his left hand over Stephen's right one while keeping his balance with his left. "Sorry, but you looked like you could take it."

In retaliation, Stephen closed his legs around Tony's waist to hold him in place.

"I can take a lot of things," he growled and watched with pleasure how the words left a trail of goosebumps all over Tony's lovely skin.

Tony, as usual, was unwilling or unable to back down from a challenge like that. "Oh, you will, baby," he promised. "Don't doubt that for a moment." He leaned forwards, grinning and obviously very happy in Stephen's tight hold. "But if you don't let me move now we'll miss out on a lot of fun. I thought you'd wanted me to fuck you, not just stay inside of you."

Stephen pretended to think it over with his pleasure dazzled brain. "You make a compelling argument." He let his legs fall open and relaxed his internal muscles.

A few hesitant, still careful, thrusts later all caution was thrown overboard and Tony _finally_ made good on his promise to reduce Stephen into a fucked-out, pleasure dazed state of non-thinking.

Apart from a few breathless pleas for more and a few curses there wasn't much he managed to contribute but Tony seemed to like him that way and showered him with praise and broken, meaningless promises and endearments whenever he had the breath to do so.

Finally, after a none-to-gentle reminder that Stephen had a dick, too, Tony put a hand on it and jerked him off with fast, almost brutal strokes, like he knew how much Stephen loved that.

"Come for me, Stephen," he demanded and Stephen was helplessly following the command before he had even consciously heard it. A faint "fuck, I'm going to…" was his only warning and he made sure to hold Tony close with his legs again as he came as well.

"Not letting you go," he promised some time later, after he'd found his voice and his brain again. Tony was laying on his chest, softening dick still inside of Stephen, and aimlessly playing with the ruin of his right hand.

Tony chuckled at that. "Ever?" he asked idly, gently tracing the biggest scar of them all.

Stephen sighed and put his free hand on Tony's back to stroke the warm skin. As fun as it had been, it was time. "I think I've already proven my devotion to you," he said quietly. "But no, I'll never be able to let you go. You'll have to live with that knowledge if you want to be with me." He would let Tony go if he wanted that. It would probably half kill him, but he would do it. But no outside influence would ever tear them apart.

His proclamation was met with silence but Tony snuggled closer to him. "Sounds good," was the eventual answer. More silence but Stephen could feel that brilliant mind working at full speed.

Tony finally moved and Stephen let his legs fall open to allow him to slip out. Tony stayed silent while he cleaned them both up and let himself be manipulated until he found himself in Tony's arms with his head on Tony's shoulder.

"I'm clingy," Tony said an eternity later. "It cost me lovers before." There was so much history and a world of pain behind the simple words. "It's nice to be on the other side of the equation for once. I don't mind. Just the opposite in fact." He caressed Stephen's back, over and over again. "Thank you for saving me. Thank you for still trusting me with yourself."

It was the first time Tony had acknowledged out loud what had happened. Stephen hadn't pushed, knowing only too well that it would do more damage than good. Tony would talk about it in his own time - and talk he would. It was in his DNA, after all, and Stephen was more than willing to wait until he could. He could talk for both of them in the meantime.

"Always," he promised quietly. The demon had promised him horrible things in Tony's voice but it had been easy to separate the memories from the man now holding him. Every word, every inflection, every tender touch since he'd woken up after had helped in shoving those memories into a neat little box, never to be touched again. Not for the first time he was thankful for that neat little trick his mind was capable of. Tony would have to find his own way to cope with his memories but Stephen had faith that he would manage it. He'd done it a couple of times before, after all.

"Love conquers all?" Tony asked but there was warmth in his voice instead of mockery.

"Ours can and will," Stephen answered quietly, raising his head to look at Tony's brilliant smile.

"I like that idea." He caressed the scarred side of Stephen's face. The mark would never vanish completely, but thanks to cutting edge medical tech and some ancient magic courtesy of Wong it was less obvious than previously feared and he still had full use of his facial expressions and sense of touch. Just one more scar to add to his ever-growing collection, nothing more. Tony could accept it, along with the truth about how powerful his magic really was. Another conversation they still had to have, just like how Tony could protect himself for something like that happening ever again. Stephen wasn't looking forwards to that but it was necessary.

Soon. But not yet.

It was enough. No, it was more than that; more than he deserved, really, but he was selfish enough to take it.

Stephen let go of the dark thoughts, gave up resisting temptation, and leaned in for a kiss. "So do I."

Tony indulged him by overwhelming his brain with pleasure once more.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! 🤍 
> 
> Based on two prompts that came in back-to-back, ages ago. The first one was by @metalandfood, the second one came in anonymously:
> 
> _We're always seeing Stephen gets possessed and Tony has to fix it. How about the other way around? Tony somehow getting possessed by a demon (it's Tony). The demon thought he's getting a real easy mark, turns out being in Tony's head sucks. And the demon is pretty much fed up with Tony's pining that he straight ups offers Tony's body to Stephen and Stephen is really tempted but doesn't want to use Tony that way._
> 
> _There are several prompt where demons have Stephen's body but what about one where a demon / rival occupies Tony's body to use it against Stephen? :3_


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